Mörlin asked Luthern for an expert opinion on an Anabaptist and sacramentarian book, so that Luther's judgment would be added to his, and thus the dissemination of the book would be prevented.
The original is in the Wolf Collection of the Hamburg City Library, Cod. I, 77. Printed in Kolde, Analecta, p. 414,
To the in Christ venerable father and lord, Mr. Martin Luther, Doctor of sacred theology, his highly venerable patron and teacher.
The grace of the Lord through Christ! The Count of Plessen has sent me this book through his advisors, and, since he is a neighbor of our church, has requested that I look at it and make my
He said that the author should give a verdict on the doctrine. He added that the author insisted daily by letters with extraordinary impetuosity 1) that he should see to it that copies were distributed in these churches; he would now publish several more. I have freely stated my opinion, rather the judgment of God, that this book is quite inappropriate to the faith of the general church and entirely Anabaptist and sacramental, and I have asked that the count, in accordance with his duty, see to it that this kind of teaching is not spread among the people. The councilors promised that they would do this with the greatest willingness, but as far as I can see, the notoriety of the place where the book was printed keeps the count's mind not a little in suspense. Therefore, my dearest 2) Doctor, I ask that you also write to me your judgment, with which I can fortify the mind of that good man and gentleman. I cannot write to you how great the difference of doctrine is in these places and the extraordinary presumption of the clever people (ingeniorum). May the Lord grant his highly afflicted church true harmony and peace, and may your valuable person (humanitatem) remain with our other teachers for a long time, amen. Göttingen, April 25, Anno 45. Werther Lord, 4)
Your most devoted Joachim Mörlin.
No. 320 9
To Heinrich von Einsiedel zum Gnandstein.
Luther sends the questions submitted to him (see No. 3202) back to Einsiedel with marginal glosses.
Printed in the Altenburger Ausgabe, vol. VIII, p.471; in the Leipziger, vol. XXII, p.577; in Walch, vol. XXI, 505; in Kapps Ref.-Urk., vol. I, p. 353; in De Wette, vol. V, p. 730 and in the Erlanger, vol. 56, p. 132.
To the strict and firm, He Heinrich von Einsiedel zum Gnanstein, my special favorable lord and friend.
Grace and peace in the Lord. Strict, firm, dear Lord and friend! To your
1) Instead of opportunitate, We have adopted importunitate.
2) Instead of clarissimoe we have assumed charissimoe.
3) Instead of them we have adopted sue [suae].
4) Instead of V. IVl. we have adopted V. H. (tuae humanitatis). H. will be read in M.
Letters from the year 1545. No. 3209 to 3212.
I have briefly noted my opinion on the questions shown in the margin. But I was pleased that you have such a tender conscience, not wanting to knowingly do wrong to anyone. Nevertheless, the world is wicked, and the peasant has very thieving nails on his fingers, and is not peasantish, but doctorish enough to seek his own where one does not look diligently at it; to the same one must look sharply at the entrenchment. But where there are poor good people, they will know well how to keep Christian with slackness etc. etc. The more part, especially those who are not poor, are so confidently stingy that we have to let ourselves be toiled and scraped at our market, as all the world complains. Hiemit dem lieben GOtt befohlen, der euch vor allem Uebel bewüten, Amen. On the last day of April, 1545.
Mart. Luther, D.
No. 3210.